One Fine Day
by Akiko Manami
Summary: A chance run in with a fiend leaves Braska struggling to hang on to life. Please R&R.


One Fine Day  
  
Ya'll know the deal. Insert Disclaimer Here --~___________~--  
  
"Braska sama~" Braska heard the voice...It was Auron...  
  
"Braska-SAMA!" Jecht now....They were looking for him... Because he'd run away. He was weak... He couldn't face the prospect of Auron not loving him back, so he ran away from them to give himself some time to think.  
  
He'd loved Auron for as long as he could remember, maybe even longer. Being with him just...FELT right. Now he was faced with the prospect of losing him...To Jecht.  
  
There was definately something between the two gaurdians, but nothing Braska could see. All he knew was that the look the two had shared earlier nearly shattered his heart.  
  
Maybe it had... Maybe thats why he was hiding here, in a tree of all places. He'd always felt at home in trees, always felt safe in them. Now was no exception. He'd shed his robes a while back, and was clad only in a pair of boots and a pair of silk pants that flared ever so slightly and then wrenched themselves tightly into the boots. The matching tunic-like shirt he'd shed with his robes. His light blue hair blended with the sky behind him, and he reached up, and pulled the string binding it, letting it fan out over his back. Despite being a summoner who spent ninety percent of his time wearing robes, and traveling on the pilgrimmage, Braska was anything but out of shape. Perfectly shaped muscles rippled beneath the light brown skin of his back. He was strong enough, he surmised, and though he wasn't as muscle-bound as either of his two gaurdians, nor did he have Auron's golden tan, or Jechts perpetually brown skin, he looked good enough. He was built more like an athlete than anything while his gaurdians were MADE to be gaurdians.  
  
Auron's shout came from directly beneath him, startling the hell out of him. "BRASKA!!!"  
  
Jumping, the wiry summoner nearly lost his perch on the branch, catching himself barely in the nick of time. Still, his sudden movements caused some birds to take flight and a few leaves were shaken loose. Auron looked up, and caught sight of him. For a moment, he stared, open mouthed, and Braska jumped down, his hair flying up behind him. Auron was still staring wide-eyed and slack-jawed, when Braska bowed low.  
  
"Auron....Please, forgive me...That was inexcusable..." Braska waited patiently for a reply. Auron suddenly seemed to remember where he was, and shook his head.  
  
"Of course, Braska sama....But....What is wrong? Most people don't hide in trees for the hell of it..."  
  
"I know...I was up there thinking..."  
  
Auron tilted his head to one side. "About what?"  
  
Braska cupped Auron's face with one hand, surprising them both. "You..." he whispered, as a giant fiend ripped through the trees.  
  
Jecht heard their surprised yell, and guessed what had happened. He snatched up Braska's staff, and ran in the direction of the sound.  
  
Auron fought wildly, wanting to protect Braska, who stood helpless.  
  
"auron...." he said, weakly, wishing he could do something. Suddenly Jecht scrambled onto the scene, tossed him his summoners staff, and throwing himself into the fray. Braska looked at it, wishing there was something he could do with it other than summon. This desire was quickly fulfilled as another fiend leapt out of the underbrush.  
  
It wasn't as large as the first, but had long, wicked claws on each foot. Braska pulled the staff up just in time to avoid being mauled by it. Without the time or concentration needed to summon, he was forced onto the defensive, blocking the swipes blindly. Quickly casting a spell that came to mind, he changed it into a smaller version of one of Auron's blades, and quickly made the fiend wish it had minded its own business.  
  
As Jecht and Auron were finishing off the first fiend, they suddenly realized Braska was contending with another one. Auron turned, and for the second time in less than ten minutes, stared dumbly at his summoner, as Braska swung the staff-turned-sword with a practised arm. Finally, both fiends were completely destroyed. Jecht applauded Braska's unkown skill with a blade, and Auron swallowed, trying to find his voice after the magnificent display.  
  
He'd known Braska wasn't as weak as he'd appeared under the voluminous robes, but he hadn't expected what he'd found. Jecht handing Braska his shirt, which he quickly donned, and Jecht turned away, prepared to head to the next town. Auron turned also, but not as quickly. As such, he was the only one who noticed how Braska favored his left side a bit.  
  
  
  
At the town, Braska realized he was hurt much more seriously than he'd previously thought. The fiend had grazed his side with the claws, and though the cuts weren't deep, they'd stung like hell, and an unpleasant heat had begun spreading from the wounded area. He quickly healed the visible wound, lest Auron panic, but the heat had spread from his side to his back and stomach, and up into his arm, and thigh as well.  
  
By the time they'd reached the town, his body was numb, completely, and he was pale and sweaty. His vision blurred and he swayed on his feet, determined to get the aeon without much fuss. Especially from Auron, who was currently preoccupied with beating the living daylights out of Jecht. Stumbling past the quarreling twosome, he walked into the temple alone, and went into the chamber of the fayth. Auron and Jecht followed obediantly behind him, sulking like children.  
  
Inside, he knelt to pray, and felt dizziness wash over him. He couldn't concentrate on the prayer, and when he finally felt as though he were going to pass out, the Fayth appeared to him, and spoke.  
  
::Summoner Braska....You suffer from poison...Seek help, or you shall not see tomorrows dawn...::  
  
"I...I know...But I ask for your help nonetheless.....Will you......Will you join me?"  
  
The woman seemed to sense that a curious stubborn streak ran through the summoner. She nodded.  
  
::Very well. I leave with you my aeon, the Ice Mistress, Shiva. Treat her well, and you will recieve her powers.:: The Fayth-woman faded, and Shiva appeared before him. Braska took a look at her, and was finally overwhelmed by it all. With a tortured gasp, he fell forward, and the chamber of the fayths went dark.  
  
Auron and Jecht were still pouting when the doors swung open and a figure stepped out. The two men turned to congratulate Braska, but stopped short when they saw Shiva carrying him. She looked down at him, and then up to Auron. In an angelic voice, she stated calmly,  
  
:He is poisoned. We must find medical help.:  
  
They nodded.  
  
  
  
Shiva remained to try and soothe the two gaurdians nerves.  
  
:He is a strong man. He will pull through. Do not worry so. You will see.:  
  
Suddenly, she convulsed in pain, and disappeared in a flurry of pyreflies. Auron barely noticed, all his attention focused on Braska, and Jecht didn't notice, his attention focused on how they were going to beat Sin, and bring the Calm to Spirra. He brought the discussion up with Auron, and the two men began arguing about it. They were cut short by a doctor coming into the room.  
  
"Jecht and Auron?" he asked, looking around and seeing they were the only two people in the waiting room. They nodded. "I have some news for you..."  
  
"What happened, is Braska OK?" Auron practically mauled him.  
  
"His last words were, 'Tell Auron I loved him.'....I'm sorry....He didn't make it...Summoner Braska.........Is dead....."  
  
And suddenly bringing the Calm to Spirra was only a small grief.  
  
  
  
  
  
SOO...What do you think? Damn, that was hard....Took me nearly an hour....It was my first attempt writing angsty things, so tell me what you think, ok? WARNING-Flames will be used to light Tidus/Yuna fics on fire.  
  
Akiko Manami  
  
OH, yeah, one more thing. If you like my fanfic works, please check out my original work, Sorrow of Memory. PLEASE R&R all of it! I won't know how to change if nobody says anything! 


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